“The Celtic Christians referred to these kings of moments — where heaven and earth seem to touch — as thin places. Natural and supernatural worlds collide. Creation meets Creator. Sin meets grace. Routine meets the Wild Goose.”- Mark Batterson
“When the LORD saw that he had gone over to look, God called to him from within the bush, ‘Moses! Moses!’ And Moses said, ‘Here I am.” ‘Do not come any closer,’ God said. ‘Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy ground.”- Exodus 3:4-5 (NIV)
As Mark Batterson continues Chapter 3 of Wild Goose Chase, he voices his appreciation for a unique aspect of the Holy Spirit’s personality. As the Counselor, the Holy Spirit comforts the afflicted. However, Pastor Batterson stresses, the Holy Spirit also afflicts the comfortable. Therefore, Mark asks, where have you gotten too comfortable as a Christ follower? Because if you allow routine to rule your life, you’ll never get where the Wild Goose wants you to go.
Enter Moses at the burning bush. God showed up at an ordinary place – a bush on the backside of the desert. Holy ground. Above all, the author underscores, that’s how the Holy Spirit loves to work – He’s predictably unpredictable!
In fact, Jewish scholars once concluded that God appeared to Moses in this fashion to emphasize this point. No place is devoid of God’s presence. Furthermore, it’s precisely here where the obvious can elude us. For the holy ground wasn’t the Promised Land. Rather, holy ground = the place where Moses stood. Mark adds:
“Don’t wait to worship God till you get to the Promised Land; you’ve got to worship along the way. This is holy ground. This is a holy moment. Take off your sandals.”
Finally, Pastor Batterson notes that at age nineteen he asked a dangerous question of God: What do you want me to do with my life? And, Mark asserts, there’s only one thing more dangerous than asking that question. Not asking that question!
So, if you ask God that question with a willingness to do whatever He says, prepare for God to disrupt the routine of your life.
Today’s question: What thin places have you experienced? Please share.
Tomorrow’s blog: “We need altars that renew our faith”
